“The resolution the Assembly Majority brought to the floor today commemorating Gov. Cuomo for his upcoming trip to Cuba is a tacit endorsement of the human rights violations the Castros have been committing for over 55 years. The governor meeting with the Castros and not discussing human rights is a great disservice to the people of Cuba, who are trapped in the 1950s because of their outdated Soviet economy. The Assembly endorsing this plan is even worse.

“As the U.S. begins to thaw relations with Cuba, New York is in a position of power. As potentially one of the largest trading partners with Cuba, we can affect its policy. Gov. Cuomo and the Assembly would rather trade with a country trapped in the 1950s than liberate them. Our chamber has long stood for human equality, but this resolution casts doubt on that long-standing legacy.”